COVID-19 widespread testing is crucial to fighting the pandemic, but is there enough testing? The answer is in the positivity rates. USA TODAY
Amid reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is telling some health officials around the country to be ready to start distributing a coronavirus vaccine by November, the chairman and CEO of Pfizer said Thursday that the company may have an effective vaccine by the end of October.
That timeline is "conceivable" but not likely, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, told CNN Thursday.
Meanwhile, higher education continues to grapple with the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
At the University of Georgia, nearly 800 students tested positive for COVID-19 or reported positive tests last week, the first full week of classes, and the university has set aside or rented nearly 500 rooms on and off campus for students in quarantine or isolation.Iowa State University on Wednesday reversed its decision to allow 25,000 fans to its home-opening football game, and 30 out of 40 Greek houses at Indiana University-Bloomington were asked to quarantine after a spike in cases.
Some universities, however, are staying the course. University of South Carolina officials said they had no plans of shutting down campus even after reporting more than 1,000 confirmed cases among students.
Some significant developments:
More than 833,000 Americans sought unemployment assistance last week as parts of the economy remained shuttered and millions of out-of-work people have gone more than a month without an $600 in jobless aid that expired under the CARES Act.
A 16-year-old student at South Miami Senior High was arrested on charges that he organized a series of network outages and cyberattacks that have plagued Florida's largest school district during the first week of remote classes. Authorities said others could also be involved.
📈 Today's numbers: A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Wednesday shows three states – Minnesota, South Dakota and West Virginia – set records for new cases in a week while two states – Arkansas and West Virginia – had a record number of deaths in a week. The U.S. has 6.1 million confirmed cases and over 186,000 deaths. Globally, there are 26 million cases and more than 864,000 people have died.
📰 What we're reading: Operation Quack Hack, the federal government’s initiative to clamp down on fake coronavirus medications and cures, has exposed a health underground in America brimming with distrust not only of mainstream medicine but the government itself. Read more here.
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Pfizer says it may have an effective vaccine by October
The chairman and CEO of Pfizer said Thursday the company may have an effective coronavirus vaccine by the end of October.
"We may be able to say the product is safe and efficacious in the October time frame and submit immediately for approval and authorization," Dr. Albert Bourla told the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations in a virtual meeting.
Bourla said the U.S.-based company, which is developing its vaccine in partnership with German biotechnology company BioNTech, has enrolled 23,000 participants in its Phase 3 clinical trial and aims to enroll 30,000 total. A "significant number" of participants have already started getting the second dose of the experimental vaccine, Bourla said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meanwhile, has told some state health officials to prepare to distribute the vaccine "in the near future."
Feds hit by backlash over fake COVID-19 treatments
Providers of alternative medicines and treatment are mobilizing against the federal government in its attempt to stamp out fake cures against the coronavirus. They are angry about government warning letters that they believe infringe on their right to free speech, free trade and people's control over their health care. And they've got a strong argument in fighting back: How can we trust the same government that signed off on opioids?
The backlash follows Operation Quack Hack, the federal government’s initiative to clamp down on fake coronavirus medications and cures.
“The health care system in this country is rigged against inexpensive, safe and effective natural remedies in favor of expensive pharmaceutical drugs,” said Clark Hansen, a naturopathic medical doctor in Arizona, in an email message to USA TODAY.
– Michael Braga
Latinos, Blacks hit hardest by COVID outbreaks in meatpacking plants
Latinos, Blacks and recent immigrants, who fill eight out of 10 of the nation's front-line meatpacking jobs, now account for 90% of the meatpacking-related coronavirus cases, based on an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A two-month project by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting and USA TODAY looking at data from 21 states found the government has taken an even more hands-off approach to employee safety even as workers' and activists' calls for basic safety measures were met with months of inaction and indifference.
– Heather Schlitz, Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting
Pandemic appears to be a factor for rising highway deaths
Speeding and traffic fatalities are both up in Vermont, and law enforcement officials think they know the reason: fewer cops to enforce traffic laws because of the coronavirus.
The state has seen 43 traffic deaths so far this year, up from 21 at the same point last year. And 125 lead-footed motorists were cited for speeding faster than 99 miles per hour through Sept. 1, up from 107 during the same period last year, reports the Barre Montpelier Times Argus.
Though there appears to be no single reason for the increase, the coronavirus could be a factor for having thinned the number of law enforcement officers on the highways
“When you drive around, people seem to be speeding more. They seem to be looking at their phones more. They do not see law enforcement out as much as they used to,” Bill Jenkins of the state Highway Safety Office said. “I think some people, unfortunately, got the message that they could do things that they shouldn’t be doing.”
Canada's top doctor: Consider wearing a mask during sex, avoid kissing
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, is warning Canadians to practice safe behaviors with their sex lives amid the pandemic.
"Sexual health is an important part of our overall health. However, sex can be complicated in the time of COVID-19, especially for those without an intimate partner in their household or whose sexual partner is at higher risk for COVID-19," Tam said in a statement.
Among the measures that Tam suggested Canadians take to avoid their risk: Wearing a mask if they do have sex and avoiding kissing. "The most important step is to establish a trusting relationship with your sexual partner," Tam added.
Number of Americans seeking jobless aid remains high
More than 833,000 Americans sought unemployment assistance last week as parts of the economy remained shuttered because of COVID-19 and millions of out-of-work people have gone more than a month without the additional $600 in jobless aid.
About 833,352 Americans filed first-time applications for unemployment insurance during the week ending Aug. 29, the Labor Department said Thursday, a 7,591 rise from the prior week and slightly more than the 825,000 expected by economists at J.P. Morgan. Those figures are based on non-seasonally adjusted figures.
– Jessica Menton
A villain that Batman can't defeat halts filming
Filming on the movie "The Batman" starring Robert Pattinson was stopped after a member of the U.K. production team tested positive for COVID-19.
The shoot at Warner Bros. studio in Hertfordshire, England, came to a halt after resuming production three days ago. It is being directed by Matt Reeves. Production of "The Batman" was originally shut down in March by the coronavirus crisis.
– Bryan Alexander